Home At Last
by HextheDaydreamer
Summary: He couldn't quite remember how he had gotten here but he remembered enough to realize that this was not home or anything that really resembled home. He didn't even have a home. He didn't know what the word "home" meant but understood enough to link it to where a person's life began, a safe haven, a place to return to. By that definition, he had no place to call his home.


**Author's Note: **This is a promise I made to myself because Repliku needs more love. This is based off of **Raining Moon Song's **fanfic called **Pieces. **So check it out, it's one of the most well-written Xemnas stories I've ever seen.

And~

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, it belongs to Disney and the folks over at Square Enix. Raining Moon Song owns everything else because it is her idea.**

* * *

**Home At Last**

He couldn't quite remember how he had gotten here but he remembered enough to realize that this was not home or anything that really resembled home. He didn't even have a home. He didn't know what the word "home" meant but understood enough to link it to where a person's life began, a safe haven, a place to return to. By that definition, he had _no_ place to call his home. Maybe he never would.

He dragged an arm across his eyes and shook his head, feeling tiny bumps crawl up his arms. A memory danced like a flame behind his lidded eyes, these bumps were "goosebumps", people got them when they were cold. He was cold. His skin was like ice and freezing, his arms trembled in a foolish attempt to generate heat. Maybe his blood would freeze and he'd just die on the spot, unable to stop it from happening and simply fall into that deep slumber they call "death".

He stared down at his feet, watching his toes drag against the snow and listened to it crackle beneath him. He sighed, not bothering to open his eyes and watch his breath linger in the air like a silvery afterimage although he thought of a dragon who couldn't breathe fire, only coughing up smoke and wheezing. He chuckled dryly, reaching up to grasp the chains on either side of him, gripping them none too tightly but strongly enough that his arms wouldn't fall back to his sides. The metal in his hands were coated in a thin layer of ice, the tips of his fingers stuck to the chains before his heat melted the cold away, leaving tiny fingerprints on the tangled grey. He was thankful for the gloves even if they didn't protect his hands completely, he just wished his magic was strong enough to cast warmth over his body or perhaps form a jacket of some sort but…he just didn't feel like it.

He felt the snow piling up on his shoulders but didn't bother brushing it off, his hair was almost frozen and he felt the weight of the snowflakes like they were a ton of bricks. He shivered again, teeth chattering quietly behind his lips and was slightly horrified to find that his mouth wouldn't open. Time had passed since he last opened his mouth and he forced his tongue through the flesh barrier and sobbed. Why was this happening to him? Was this the chilly academic's revenge from beyond the grave? Was that damn scientist haunting him in a world he had no knowledge of? Did he fail his "great purpose"?

He didn't move to wipe away his tears because they felt so warm compared to everything else he was feeling but halfway down his cheeks, he felt his sorrow harden into crystals. He lowered his head. Let him freeze to death then, it's not as if anyone here would care if he just faded away. He was nothing but a hollow puppet whose strings had been cut. He had no drive, no motivation, no one to protect, nothing to distinguish himself from the original.

_And so, the shadow fades into nothingness…_

"Riku?"

He raised his head, a careful wind blowing through his hair and he shifted his gaze to stare at his visitor. She was looking at him concernedly; big brown eyes and rosy cheeks and she pressed her lips together as if she said something wrong. He felt snow travel down his back and looked back down with a controlled shiver. Sure, he was freezing but his pride refused to let her know that.

"Sorry…but no. You've got the wrong guy." He felt this heart sink when she said nothing but her heavy boots moved to stand in front of him and she sunk to his level, her gloved hands poised on her knees. He still didn't look up; she was looking for the other guy.

"Suna, then." He felt her fingers dust the snow from his head and shoulders and looked up fast, eyes widening as she smiled softly at him. He remained absolutely still when she leaned forward and hugged him, transferring heat to his frozen heart and melting it, the tears stuck on his face started to run again.

"…Suna?" he questioned, confusion lacing his voice as he reached out and grabbed the sides of her jacket, pulling himself closer to her and hesitantly placing his forehead on her shoulder, shivering again. He wondered if he was dreaming, if he was still lying on the floor in the castle after Larxene had tossed him aside like a ragdoll. But she _had_ to be real…She smelled so nice.

"It means sand. Riku means land." She explained. "Is it okay, if I call you that?" She pulled away and he let go, still processing the new name and watching as the girl pulled off her jacket and took one of his hands, pulling him to his feet and giving him a funny look. She was taller than he was. He hadn't expected that and he guessed that she was just as surprised as he was. The girl pulled one of his arms through a sleeve and did the same to his other arm as well.

"I…Yeah…but – "he frowned, trying to find a flaw in what she just said.

"You don't have to be Riku. You don't have to be his shadow anymore." She zipped up the jacket and Suna watched as she pulled off the outer layer of her gloves and took his wrist, slipping his hands inside and allowing him to do the same to his other hand. He wondered briefly if this was what it was like to have a mother take care of him.

"Why are you doing this?" his voice cracked and she pulled him into another hug, he mentally reminded himself to start growing again because his cheek was against her arm, she dragged the hood over his head and sighed.

"Because it wasn't fair." Did she know what happened to him? She sounded like she actually like she did…but how? She was rubbing his back now, alternating between his shoulders and arms to get his blood flowing again and circulate heat. "And I can't leave you out here to freeze…"

"Who a_re _you?" There was something uncanny about her, something so familiar in how she talked to him. Had they met before? No…there were…others. Others who had shown him kindness. His "twin", despite everything. That boy with the keyblade. Even _her_. He made a vow to protect her based on memories that weren't his or the original's, a promise that had been drawn out on paper and inserted into his consciousness. But they were still his; everything that had ever happened to him was _his. _This right here, this girl, this was his to remember and cherish. Something he hoped the original never had.

"Tory." She said. "I know it's weird...but can you trust me?"

"…I think so." He murmured after a moment, still cautious and unsure but she was just so _warm. _

"Then come on. I don't live far from here." She let him go and weaved her arm around his, Suna latched onto her like a lost child and the two of them walked away from the playground. She was smiling faintly and every now and then she'd look down to see if he was still OK, he would be.

"Let's go _home_, Suna."

* * *

When no one was looking, Suna climbed out of bed and searched the room he shared with Xemnas – being extra careful not to wake him up because he was sure the older man wouldn't appreciate it– and found a piece of paper and a pen. He tiptoed into the hallway and into the bathroom, turning the light on and sitting against the door. He started writing.

"_Home". Definition: A safe place, a roof over my head, warm, a place to return to, a place to stay. Lots of smiles and hugs…Lots of love too._

He thought he heard footsteps in the hall so he climbed onto his knees and stretched his arm to flush the toilet. He stood up and turned to the sink, letting the water run for a few seconds as he finished his thought.

_My name is Suna. I have a home. I have people who care about me. _

He turned the water off and stared at the bottom of the page.

_I exist._

He frowned. There was something else. Something…missing. He smiled.

_Thank you, Tory._


End file.
